Pope 2017 budget approvedThe Pope County Quorum Court voted 11-0 in favor of an ordinance that established the 2017 operating budget during its final meeting of 2016 Tuesday night. The budget includes estimated expenses of $22,829,917.39 and estimated funds available for appropriation, or anticipated revenue, totaling $28,094,145. Expenses for the general fund are estimated at $9,440,373.55, with estimated funds available for appropriation totaling $10,021,169. Some o...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pottsville city talks zoning for schoolPOTTSVILLE — Pottsville City Councilman Donnie Elliott addressed the city council during their monthly meeting on Nov. 28 about an issue the Planning and Zoning Commission wanted the council’s advice on. Elliott explained to the council that the Pottsville School District had multiple buildings zoned differently. “The elementary and administrative building for the school on State Highway 247 is zoned as R-2 (Medium Density Residential), the hi...

Dover OKs 'mini-house' legislationDOVER -- The Dover City Council approved the third and final reading of an ordinance amending the zoning code by setting requirements for "mini-houses" to be used as dwellings adjacent to existing structures. The council approved a recommendation by Mayor Pat Johnson that the city retain its present private insurance coverage rather than transferring to a program of the Arkansas Municipal League. Council members suspended the rules to allow al...

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BY STEVE LEAVELL
sleavell@cswnet.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Wall wraps up 41 years of serviceDonna Wall said during Tuesday's retirement reception inside the Pope County Courthouse that she has met so many good people over the last 41 years of public service. "God has been good to me," she told a room packed with family members and fellow employees. "Thank you for making sure our family could come. All my family is here, and we are enjoying it. I have a wonderful family, and I am truly blessed. "The people I have met have been so kind...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Hector approved for $250,000 grantHECTOR â€" Mayor John Riley announced at the November monthly meeting of the Hector City Council that the city has been approved for a $250,000 grant from the Arkansas Municipal Street Aid Committee. He said the proposal would cover resurfacing and other improvements on sections of Wildcat Lane and Maple, Sycamore and Pine streets. Riley said the estimated cost of the project was nearly $256,000, with the city responsible for about $6,000 in c...

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BY STEVE LEAVELL
sleavell@cswnet.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

City Corp. directors green light purchasesCity Corporationâ€â ˘s Board of Directors approved the purchase of two chemical feeders for the Water Treatment Plant, two dump trucks and a contract for rebate arbitrage consulting services during its November meeting. The board heard that two bids were submitted for the chemical feeders. The first bid was from Acrison Inc. in the amount of $131,852, including materials and installation. The Second bid was from Instrument and Supplies Inc. in...

RPD releases stats reportThe Russellville Police Department (RPD) will answer more calls for service this year, made more felony arrests, DUI arrests and trained more hours, according to statistics released recently. Calls for service from Pope County 911 Emergency Communications will surpass 21,600 through the end of the year, according to projections. Officers answered 20,679 calls in 2015. Felony arrests are up 25.8 percent this year, from 329 in 2015 to 414 in 201...

Recreation and Parks celebrating 50 yearsRecreation and Parks Director Mack Hollis told the Russellville City Council that the department's 50th anniversary reception was scheduled for 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the Hughes Community Center. In his report to the council, Hollis explained the department is responsible for three budgets that total $1.3 million, while personnel operate and maintain 23 parks that cover 792 acres. Work continues on Veterans Memorial Park off Lakefront Drive. H...

Council approves $12.4 million budgetThe Russellville City Council approved a $12.4 million budget for 2017 during its regular meeting Thursday at City Hall. The budget anticipates revenue to come in at $12,441,370 and expenditures to total $12,441,295, with an anticipated remaining balance of $75. Revenues expected to increase over 2016 totals were District Court at 21 percent, and Recreation and Parks at 10 percent. Personnel expenditures are anticipated to total $9,653,140. An...

Commission OKs raise for directorThe Russellville Advertising & Promotion Commission voted to increase the annual salary of Executive Director Christie Graham to $50,000 beginning Dec. 1 to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Commissioners reviewed some salaries of other A&P directors throughout Arkansas and discussed what increase they would approve. They all agreed Graham was worth "much more" than a salary increase they could afford to give. "She needs to be o...

Trump taps Sessions, Flynn, Pompeo for top positionsNEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump is announcing his choices for three key administration jobs Friday, naming Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions for attorney general, Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo to head the CIA and former military intelligence chief Michael Flynn as his national security adviser. All three have been fierce critics of President Barack Obama's handling of terrorism and national security, and their selection likely signals a sharp shift...

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By Julie Pace and Jonathan Lemire, The Associated PressAssociated Press

Obama, Nudging Trump, Says He Must 'Stand Up' To RussiaBERLIN (AP) — President Barack Obama prodded Donald Trump on Thursday to take a tougher approach toward Russia, urging the president-elect to "stand up" to Moscow when it violates global norms. The Kremlin accused Obama of trying to lock in bad relations before Trump takes office. In Europe for his last time as president, Obama said he doesn't expect Trump to mirror his own strategy on Russia, and hopes his successor will work constructively w...

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By Josh Lederman and David Rising, The Associated PressAssociated Press

Yell Election Commission enjoys firstsDANVILLE — The general election was a first of many things for the Yell County Election Commission which included the use of new electronic voting equipment and electronic poll books as well utilizing voting centers. Howard Orsburn, election commissioner, said the election commission had approximately 44 new machines that totaled over $350,000, which they had no problems with during the election. The new machines were equipped with the ability...

Ola mulls relocating city officesOLA — The Ola City Council met on Monday and discussed the possibility of moving the city offices to another location, a paving project and the Christmas parade. Ronald Osterhout, council member, said the council discussed the possibility of moving the city offices to the old Ola high school and elementary buildings on Hill Street. “We talked about moving the whole city office,” Osterhout explained. “There should be plenty of room for the poli...

Obama: World Leaders Must Heed People's Economic FearsATHENS — Drawing a broad lesson from the election of Donald Trump, President Barack Obama said Tuesday that world leaders need to pay attention to people's very real fears of economic dislocation and inequality in the midst of globalization. "The more aggressively and effectively we deal with those issues, the less those fears may channel themselves into counterproductive approaches that can pit people against each other," Obama said as he ope...

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By Elena Becatoros and Josh Lederman, The Associated PressAssociated Press

With Signs Of Trump Backing, Ryan Set To Be Speaker AgainWASHINGTON — Amid signs of support from Donald Trump, Speaker Paul Ryan moved Tuesday toward winning approval from House Republicans to keep his job in the coming Congress. House Democrats, jarred by their meager Election Day gains, seemed less certain about their direction and delayed a vote on whether to keep Rep. Nancy Pelosi as minority leader. At a private meeting of House GOP lawmakers, Ryan, R-Wis., told them that in a morning conversat...

Quality of life meeting set for TuesdayMayor Randy Horton announced a quality of life and recreation focus meeting for ReImagine Russellville 2040, the new comprehensive plan for the Russellville community. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. today inside City Hall. Project planner James Walden said the meeting will focus on improving quality of life through recreation and other means. "Quality of life, parks, and trails have repeatedly been cited as priorities for the community," Wal...

Old Post BBQ files for liquor licenseThe owner of Old Post BBQ in Russellville has filed an application with the state Alcoholic Beverage Division for a private club permit to dispense alcoholic beverages. A legal published in The Courier indicated the application was filed Oct. 12 by Raymond Black. According to the Alcoholic Beverage Division of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, it would be the 24th Private Class A Dry County permit granted in Pope County. E...

PPP pays fine, applies for permitsNearly four months after Premium Protein Products (PPP) on Bernice Avenue shut down due to a fire, the rendering plant has paid a fine to the city and has submitted a permit application to a state agency. Russellville City Attorney Trey Smith said the plant's lawyer pleaded no contest last month and paid a $500 civil penalty fine. Also last month, according to a legal advertisement in The Courier, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quali...